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I was looking through my old directories and found some pictures of the Seaking Helicopter that crashed at Nias, Indonesia, on the day HMAS Kanimbla left Sydney with Shark 02 onboard.

I also found out some interesting facts about the Helo in question.

1. First flew on 06 Aug 1974. It was the second Seaking purchased for the RAN.
2. It carried Prime Minister Bob Hawke on a fleet review on 10 July 1989.
3. One month later It crash-landed into the ocean north of Darwin, due to engine overheating on 6 Aug 1989 but was recovered.
4. It carried Prime Minister John Howard on a tour of Aceh during OP Sumatra Assist.
5. One month later it crashed with the loss of nine lives on 2 April 2005. Cause of the crash is still being investigated.


Full size image at http://killakoala.smugmug.com/photos/23080065-O.jpg


Full size image at http://killakoala.smugmug.com/photos/23080064-O.jpg

Interesting story to go with the photos, which are quite good, Steve.

Interesting information and photos Steve.

Thanks Steve, i find your pics and comentry great as we all know this up your alley and i enjoy looking at them. Reminding me of the pic i seen at the gallery that was put together by navy peoples of veitnam etc...
I have a nice video clip on a chinook, showing how not to land and well falling over the edge.
Nice pics as usual.
Cheers
John

Nice photos and good info

Not something to be making jokes over, but isn't it odd how something always happens one month after a PM has been on board.

hey, i just realised i had some shots of it too!


i have a photo-story of a rescue demonstration in sydney harbour

sorry about the quality of the photos - these were with a little point and shoot sony. now that i have photoshop i should probably go back and improve them a bit!

Thaddeus, that's close, very close, but what you shot there is Shark 21. Which has definately not crashed as i saw it in the hangar onboard HMAS Kanimbla just this morning. (Fri 27 May 05)

Shark 21 was also embarked on Kanimbla for Op Sumatra Relief but has not been able to be returned to Naval Air Station Nowra due to the entire Seaking fleet being grounded until the Shark 02 investigation is completed. Shark 21 was the first on the scene at the 02 crash site and ferried the survivors back to Kanimbla.